Terminal plate assembly fixture



July 19, 1949.

J. O. VAN WINKLE TERMINAL PLATE ASSEMBLY FIXTURE Filed April 30, 1945 awe/14M J. 0. v /v W/NKLE Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATE TERMINAL PLATE ASSEIWBLY FIXTURE James Oscar Van Winkle, Omaha, Nehru, assignor to Western Electric Company,

Incorporated,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York" Application April 30,1945, Serial No. 591,032 1 Claims. I (01. 29' 20s) This invention relates to assembling apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for assembling electrical terminals in an insulator terminal plate.

An object of the invention is toprovide a simple and eflicient device for rapidly assembling terminals in a terminal plate and automatically ejecting the assembly into a receiving-tray.

Other objects of the invention will become ape parent from the following description .and the accompanying drawing, wherein: p

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of and r Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the terminals and terminal plate assembled by the fixture shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Referring nowto thedrawing wherein like reference numerals indicate the same .parts throughout the several views, illv designates a frame or base formed in (Fig. 3) with its left hand end II turned up at an angle. Mounted on an annular anvil or assembly block [2 having four spaced alignment pins 13 secured therein.

In the center of the anvil is a cone shaped opening M in which is reciprocably mounted a cone shaped ejector 15 having a threaded shank l6. This threaded shank extends through an opening in the top of the inclined end H. Threaded on the shank I6 is a nut I! which serves by gravity to normally retain the cone shaped ejector 15 in its lowermost position and which by adjustment determines the distance the ejecting member may be moved upwardly.

J ournaled on the top of the base Ill is a swingable hammer 20 having a metal head 2|. The left hand end of the hammer (Figs. 1 and 2) has an arcuate portion 22.. Secured to and running through the center of this arcuate portion 22 is a shaft 23 which has its ends journaled in two side members 24. The two members 24 are secured to the sides of the base or frame ID by locating studs 25 and screws 26.

Coiled about a part of the shaft 23 supporting the hammer is a-spring 21 which has one of its ends fastened to the top of the frame H) by a the asesmbly fixture the assembly fixture;

the shape of a sled the inclined end H is.

' screw 28; the other end at a right angle to pass throughan aperture 29 in the handle portion of the hammer 20. fThis coil spring 21 is tensionedina counterclockwise direction to normally retain the the position shown in. Figs. 1 and 2.

An annular groove 30 is provided in the arm'- ate portion 22 of the hammer to receive a cable 7 through an opening 3|, one end of which passes in the hammer handle and is knotted thereunder as indicated at 32 in Fig. 1. The other end of the cable 3| passes down through a slot 33 (Fig. 2) and-is'fastened to a .pivoted foot treadle 34 (Fig. 1). Thus by to move the cable 3| the hammer 20 is swung against the tension of coil spring 21 to strike the hammer head 2| against the anvil l2. .1

Mounted beneath the top and between the sides of the sled shaped base or frame I0 is a lever 31 which is pivoted on a horizontal rod 38 mounted and held in place in the frame Ill by cotter pins 39. Secured-to the left hand end of the lever 3fl isa disk 40 which operate the ejector IS. The right hand end of the lever 31 is bent up. to beengaged by the under side of the hammer. 20 when it rebounds, to normal position under the recoil of spring 21. l

.The terminal plate with electrical 1 terminals assembled by the above described fixture is shown in Fig.4 of the drawing.

In performingv the assembly operation, four hollow metal terminals 42 are placed on the four alignment pins l3 which hold the terminals in place and locate them with their open sides facing the center of the assembly. The operator then places the terminal insulator plate 43 with its four holes 44 coinciding with the positioned terminals 42. After which the foot treadle 34 is operated to pull the cable 3| downwardly to swing the hammer counterclockwise (Fig. 1) against the tension of coil spring 21. The hammer head 2| strikes the insulator plate 43 and forces it down over the terminals 42 to secure the parts into a unitary assembly.

As the hammer strikes it tightens the spring 21 around the shaft 23 and creates suiiicient retractile force to rotate the hammer clockwise to hit the upturned right hand end of the pivoted lever 31. The blow on this end of the pivoted lever 31 causes the left hand end thereof of the spring being bent hammer 20' in stepping on the foot treadlej is adapted to strike and to move its disk 40 upward to strike the ejector l5 with such force that the terminal plate assembly of Fig. 4 is driven from the anvil through the air into a receiving tray or storage bin (not shown). The angle at which the anvil I2 is arranged determines the path of travel of the assembled parts through the air.

The base l0 of the assembly fixture may be fastened to a work bench by passing bolts through four openings 45 in the base and the foot treadle 34 may be secured to the floor by any suitablemeans,

It is tobe understood that although aslngleembodiment of the invention is shown and described, the invention is not limited to that em-v bodiment but is capable of modification and substitution of parts and general reorganization" within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly fixture comprising a: frame, an anvil mounted in the frame, a plurality of alignment pins secured in the-anvihfor-holding: a plurality of parts in a predetermined arrange ment, a hammer meansspivoted in the frame, means for moving the hammer means from normal position, through an are about its pivot to engage and. assemble the parts together: in, a unitary. assembly, an ejector for ejecting'thea'ssembly, a. lever for. striking the ejector and having a portion im the path of. the returning'movea mentofrsaidhammer means; and means forre coiling the. hammer means to, normal to hit said portion. to. transmit. the force of. said recoil throughsai'd lever to move the ejector.

21 An assembly. fixture .for: assembling parts,

comprising, a base, an anvil mounted in thebase atia predeterminedangle andihaving, a central aperture therein,v alignment'memberson the anvillforrholding, a plurality of parts" ina-predeterminedi arrangement, a hammer pivoted in the base for assembling the parts into a unitary assembly, normal position, an adjustablegejectbr' positioned in the central aperturein the anvil, a lever pivotedin the base for operating the ejector; and meansfor. operatingthe'hammer tozassemble-th'e parts, whereby the spring returns the hammer to normal toistrike the the. ejector to eject the: assembled parts through a spring tor returning the hammer to pivoted lever" to operate the hammen-m'eansto normal to hit transmit. the force of said recoil through said sition through an are about its pivot to engage and assemble the parts together in a unitary assembly, an ejector for ejecting the assembly, a lever for striking the ejector and having a portion in the path of the returning movement of said hammer means, and means for recoiling the hammer means to normal to hit said portion to transmit the force of said recoil through said lever to the ejector.

4. An assembly fixture comprising a frame, an anvil mounted in the frame at a predetermined angleionholdinga plurality of parts. in. a predet'erminedi arrangement, a hammer means pivoted in the frame, means for moving the hammer means from normal position through an are about its pivot to engage and assemble the: partmtogether: in a unitary assembly, an ejector for ejecting the assembly from the an vilg. acleveriforr-striking the ejector and having a portioniinthe-path of the returning movement of said hammer means, and means for recoiling said part to lever to the ejector, whereby said assembled parts are ejected from the fixture through a predetennined -trajectory as determined by the angle at" which the-- anvil= is mountedin the frame.

An assemblyfiirture comprising'a frame, an'

, anvil mounted in the frame, a plurality of alignment pinsseeured inthe' anvilfor holding a plurality of parts i ina predetermined arrangement, a hammer means pivoted in the frame, means for moving the hammermeans from normal positionthrough an'arc about its pivot to engage and assemble tlie parts together in a unitary assembly, an ejector for ejecting the assembly, a levenf'o'r striking theejector and having a portion in the path of the returning movement of ,said hammer means, means for recoiling the the airrin a predetermined path as. determined by the angle'at'whi'ch the; anvil is 'set'.

3; An assembly fixture comprising'a frame;- an" anvil mounted in the frame" for holding a pluralit'y of'partsin a predetermined arrangement; a hammer means pivoted in the frame, means for moving the hammermeans. from normal nohammer means to normal to hit said portion to transmit the force of said recoil through said lever to move the ejector, and adjustable means forstbpping; the movement of said ejector.

' JAMES" OSCAR VAN WINKLE.

f REFERENCES GITED "The. following references are of record in the file of this" patent:

UNITED PA'I'ENTS 

